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Review: Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

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Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

Openly Straight
Bill Konigsberg
Arthur A. Levine Books
Published May 28, 2013

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Openly Straight

Rafe is a normal teenager from Boulder, Colorado. He plays soccer. He’s won skiing prizes. He likes to write.

And, oh yeah, he’s gay. He’s been out since 8th grade, and he isn’t teased, and he goes to other high schools and talks about tolerance and stuff. And while that’s important, all Rafe really wants is to just be a regular guy. Not that GAY guy. To have it be a part of who he is, but not the headline, every single time.

So when he transfers to an all-boys’ boarding school in New England, he decides to keep his sexuality a secret — not so much going back in the closet as starting over with a clean slate. But then he sees a classmate break down. He meets a teacher who challenges him to write his story. And most of all, he falls in love with Ben . . . who doesn’t even know that love is possible.

This witty, smart, coming-out-again story will appeal to gay and straight kids alike as they watch Rafe navigate feeling different, fitting in, and what it means to be himself.

My Review

This book has been on my reading list for a LONG time, but once I realized it’s by the same author as THE MUSIC OF WHAT HAPPENS, I really wanted to read it.

OPENLY STRAIGHT explores elements of identity not often explored in the YA I’ve read. It’s not just about coming out or how we sometimes distill a person’s identity down to one thing. The idea that sometimes parts of us that feel incongruent with other parts of ourselves resonated with me. Like we can’t be both those things in the same room with people in the same way at the same time.

For Rafe, mainly this had to do with how he felt other guys perceived him as an out gay kid. When he had an opportunity to connect with other boys without them knowing he was gay, he had a different experience, one that had value in a different way. I liked that as he explored that, he realized while there was a barrier between him and other guys if they knew he was gay, not telling them also created a barrier, too. Anyway, there were a lot of great ideas in and around that conflict that were definitely worth reading.

I also, of course, loved Rafe and Ben. I loved the way their friendship developed, and the fact that they had this beautiful emotional closeness. Rafe’s roommate and his best friend were lots of fun, too. I really enjoyed the banter between them.

Rafe is a messy character who’s learning a lot about himself. He has some selfish attitudes and doesn’t always do right by his friends, but the way things play out shows he’s beginning to turn a corner and pursue healthier ways to relate to people. And healthier ways to think about himself.

Conclusion

All in all, I liked this book. As I put together the links for this review, I realized that OPENLY STRAIGHT has a sequel! And it’s Ben’s point-of-view! So, I will absolutely be reading that book which is called HONESTLY BEN.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Rafe is gay and Jewish. One minor character is Black. Rafe’s best friend, Claire Olivia is Latina. Other minor characters are gay or possibly bisexual.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. References to sex. References to sexual touching.

Spiritual Content
Brief references to Rafe being Jewish.

Violent Content – Content warning for homophobia.
At a PFLAG dance, Rafe sees some boys who repeatedly use a homophobic slur. He witnesses another closeted gay boy being harassed and mocked.

Drug Content
Rafe and his friends drink alcohol. Rafe mentions having been high on pot once.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: The Loophole by Naz Kutub

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Loophole
Naz Kutub
Bloomsbury YA
Published June 21, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Loophole

Your wish is granted! This YA debut is equal parts broken-hearted love story, epic myth retelling, and a world-journey romp to find home.

Sy is a timid seventeen-year-old queer Indian-Muslim boy who placed all his bets at happiness on his boyfriend Farouk…who then left him to try and “fix the world.” Sy was too chicken to take the plunge and travel with him and is now stuck in a dead-end coffee shop job. All Sy can do is wish for another chance…. Although he never expects his wish to be granted.

When a mysterious girl slams into (and slides down, streaks of make-up in her wake) the front entrance of the coffee shop, Sy helps her up and on her way. But then the girl offers him three wishes in exchange for his help, and after proving she can grant at least one wish with a funds transfer of a million dollars into Sy’s pitifully struggling bank account, a whole new world of possibility opens up. Is she magic? Or just rich? And when his father kicks him out after he is outed, does Sy have the courage to make his way from L. A., across the Atlantic Ocean, to lands he’d never even dreamed he could ever visit? Led by his potentially otherworldly new friend, can he track down his missing Farouk for one last, desperate chance at rebuilding his life and re-finding love?

My Review

For some reason I thought this book was going to be a romcom type of story? The cover copy makes it sound like this light, fun romp around the world for love, and it is those things. But it’s also got some heavy stuff in it that I wasn’t expecting. The scene where Sy’s dad beats him with a belt. Reggie’s clear and heartbreaking alcohol addiction.

I really liked Sy. He’s messy and flailing and desperately trying to figure his life out. The one thing he knows for certain is that he loves Farouk. That love is his guiding star, and I loved that element of the story. I loved that he learns so much on his journey and finds confidence in his independence.

There are two notes the story didn’t hit that I wished it did. So, Farouk left on this glorious world-traveling trip. Sy stayed behind because he was afraid. The cover copy tells us that much. But then we learn that Sy is seventeen. And has an abusive dad. And eventually we learn the circumstances surrounding Farouk’s request for Sy to come with him, but that’s spoiler-y, so I won’t clarify that. It didn’t help how I felt.

I think I wish that Sy had paused to examine what was happening there and ask whether it was actually reasonable for Farouk to expect him to come with him. Or whether it was reasonable to lay the blame for their breakup on Sy for not going. Or whether it was more complicated than him simply being afraid.

Another thing that I wish the story addressed is Reggie’s alcohol addiction. Sy seems to think he can manage her addiction by distracting her with his friendship. I wish that there had at least been some mention of her getting professional help or recognizing that rescuing someone from addiction is not a burden that a friend can carry.

All that makes it sound like I expected every issue to be fully examined and processed by Sy before the end of the story, which I know isn’t reasonable. I guess I tend to struggle with that in the books that I read. It’s pretty realistic for some things to be left unexplored by the hero. It also leaves a lot of space for readers to examine things and draw their own conclusions.

Anyway, I still loved a lot of things about THE LOOPHOLE, especially the way Sy grows and builds his friendship with Reggie. I loved the scenes in Istanbul especially. Fans of THE MUSIC OF WHAT HAPPENS by Bill Konigsberg or ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE by Benjamin Alire Sáenz should check this one out.

Content Notes for The Loophole

Content warning for homophobia, Islamophobia and abuse.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Sy is Indian American, Muslim, and gay. Farouk is Pakistani American and gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. In one scene, they go skinny dipping together. Sy’s dad has a second family in India.

Spiritual Content
Sy visits a mosque and prays. His family believes being gay is a sin.

Violent Content
Sy’s dad beats him with a belt because Sy is gay. Sy reveals this isn’t the first time his father has done this. Sy learns of a terrorist attack in London. At an airport, officers detain Sy and threaten him with a strip search. Sy and Reggie hit an officer while trying to get through a police barricade.

Drug Content
Reggie drinks alcohol almost constantly. Sy drinks alcohol a couple of times.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE LOOPHOLE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Secret of the Shadow Beasts by Diane Magras

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,

Secret of the Shadow Beasts
Diane Magras
Dial Books
Published June 14, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Secret of the Shadow Beasts

For fans of Dragon Pearl and the Lockwood & Co. series comes a swift-moving contemporary fantasy about a young girl tasked with destroying deadly shadow creatures.

In Brannland, terrifying beasts called Umbrae roam freely once the sun sets, so venomous that a single bite will kill a full-grown adult–and lately, with each day that passes, their population seems to double. The only people who can destroy them are immune children like Nora, who are recruited at the age of seven to leave their families behind and begin training at a retrofitted castle called Noye’s Hill. But despite her immunity, Nora’s father refused to let her go.

Now, years after his death by Umbra attack, Nora is twelve, and sees her mother almost killed by the monsters too. That’s when Nora decides it’s time for her to join the battle. Once she arrives at Noye’s Hill, though, she and her new friends are left with more questions than answers: Where are the Umbrae coming from? Could the government be covering up the true reason their population has whirled out of control? And was Nora’s father, the peaceful, big-hearted man who refused to let Nora fight, in on the treacherous secret?

My Review

Nora is such a cool character. I loved her compassion and the way she continues to ask questions rather than just accepting the way things are. I loved the journey in the way she relates to her teammates and builds relationships with them.

The story sometimes required a greater willing suspension of disbelief from me. I remember one moment where the team is in a car and someone uses a sword to cut someone’s shirt open. It seemed like in close quarters like that, a sword would be really difficult to use. I also thought it was kind of weird that no one put Nora through some basic combat training at any point. It was basically like, “Okay, you have natural talent, so you’re good. Ready to go fight monsters?!”

Despite those things, I found myself pretty carried away with the story. I loved watching Nora get to know her teammates and build relationships with them. I think readers who enjoyed THE FIREBIRD SONG by Arnée Flores will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
One of Nora’s teammates is trans. Another is nonbinary.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Shadow beasts, or Umbra come out at night. They have the ability to shift into shadows instantly. At dawn, they turn into mist spores.

Violent Content
Situations of peril and battle scenes against Umbra.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SECRET OF THE SHADOW BEASTS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer

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Forging Silver Into Stars
Brigid Kemmerer
Bloomsbury YA
Published May 3, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Forging Silver into Stars

When ancient magic tests a newfound love, a dark fate beckons . . .

Magic has been banished in the land of Syhl Shallow for as long as best friends Jax and Callyn can remember. They once loved the stories of the powerful magesmiths and mythical scravers who could conjure fire or control ice, but now they’ve learned that magic only leads to danger: magic is what killed Callyn’s parents, leaving her alone to raise her younger sister. Magic never helped Jax, whose leg was crushed in an accident that his father has been punishing him for ever since. Magic won’t save either of them when the tax collector comes calling, threatening to take their homes if they can’t pay what they owe.

Meanwhile, Jax and Callyn are astonished to learn magic has returned to Syhl Shallow — in the form of a magesmith who’s now married to their queen. Now, the people of Syhl Shallow are expected to allow dangerous magic in their midst, and no one is happy about it.

When a stranger rides into town offering Jax and Callyn silver in exchange for holding secret messages for an anti-magic faction, the choice is obvious — even if it means they may be aiding in a plot to destroy their new king. It’s a risk they’re both willing to take. That is, until another visitor arrives: handsome Lord Tycho, the King’s Courier, the man who’s been tasked with discovering who’s conspiring against the throne.

Suddenly, Jax and Callyn find themselves embroiled in a world of shifting alliances, dangerous flirtations, and ancient magic . . . where even the deepest loyalties will be tested.

My Review

It felt so good to be back in Emberfall and Syhl Shallow! FORGING SILVER INTO STARS has some cameos by some of my favorite characters from the Cursebreakers series— Rhen and Harper, Grey and Lia Mara… and especially Tycho. Yay! Also, Nakiis, Iisak’s son! I love that he was part of this, and I’m super intrigued to see where the plot concerning him goes next.

So the story is told from three points of view: Jax, Callyn, and Tycho. I loved getting to see Tycho’s point of view after watching him as a minor character in the other series. He’s all grown up now and kind of caught between loyalties. I loved him immediately.

It was also really great to see different sides of Rhen and Grey. I loved the scenes with Rhen especially. (Still Team Rhen!) I also liked the way that Tycho’s history with each of them impacted what he decided to do, and the way his relationship with each of them changed how he thought about the other. Hopefully that makes sense.

In terms of the story itself, I loved the intrigue and the pursuit of figuring out the plot against the crown. I’m intrigued by some of the minor characters. I feel like there’s lots of story for the rest of the series to explore. I hope the next book has a lot more of Callyn in it, because I feel like she kind of got overshadowed by Jax and Tycho a little bit, and I liked her a lot.

On the whole, I feel like this book lived up to all the expectations I have for the story world. I am definitely going to be reading the rest of the series. I already can’t wait to see what happens next.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Two boys are in a romantic relationship. Jax’s foot was amputated after his leg was crushed by a carriage.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content – Content warning for rape.
Kissing between two boys. In one scene there’s a brief mention of some sexual touching. Kissing between a boy and girl. One scene shows sexual touching.

There’s also reference to a boy who was raped by soldiers. There’s no description of the events, but the trauma he feels is pretty clear.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to use magic.

Violent Content – Content warning for abuse and miscarriage.
Situations of peril and battle scenes. References to and brief descriptions of torture.

Jax’s dad is a violent alcoholic who attacks him in multiple scenes.

One character who has been pregnant loses her baby. It’s not exactly *violent* per se, but I wanted to include it here because I know if you’ve had a miscarriage, reading about them can be difficult.

Drug Content
Tycho and Jax drink wine together. Jax’s dad is an abusive alcoholic.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Chase by Bradley Caffee

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

The Chase (The Chase Runner #1)
Bradley Caffee
Mountain Brook Ink
Published June 15, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Chase

Win the Chase. Be the hero. Or die trying.​

The chaos and anarchy following the Great Collapse nearly brought the world to its knees until the unchanging Law brought order and peace. Generations later, the twelve alliances of the World Coalition come together once a year to allow their best and brightest young people to compete in the Chase. The prize? A chance to pass exactly one new law.

The son of two former Chase runners, Willis Thomson is the top trainee in the Western Alliance. With the expectations of the world and his heritage driving him, he leads his elite Red Team as they prepare for his moment to become a coveted Law-changer.

Perryn Davis, the new leader of the Blue Team, struggles to survive as she competes as one of the designated losers. She knows that losing means genetic recoding, a process that cannot go on indefinitely, and longs to age out of the program before it kills her.

When a mysterious new racer with knowledge of the outside shows up at their orbiting training center, the natural order of the Western Alliance trainees is upended. In a world where too much knowledge is dangerous, Willis and Perryn find themselves in a race to save their lives and uncover the hidden underbelly of the peaceful World Coalition.

My Review

THE CHASE had some elements that I really enjoyed and some things that I struggled with, so I’m a little bit torn in writing my review.

I liked the concept of the race. It reminded me a little bit of THE HUNGER GAMES, where the hopes for the future are pinned on a chosen few of the kids, and the world is broken up into allied areas under one central government. It also reminded me a little bit of DIVERGENT in the way the runners were split up into teams caught in a high stakes competition.

One of the things I struggled with was the way the characters related to each other. There were some relationships that seemed nuanced and layered– like Jez’s relationship with Willis. It was clear that she had some feelings for him that he didn’t recognize, and that it caused a lot of tension. I loved that and the way it was present but not overly highlighted.

I kind of didn’t understand Willis and Perryn’s relationship, though. It’s clear he’s attracted to her, but I wasn’t totally sure I understood why? It kind of read like he felt sorry for her or was attracted to her as a damsel in distress? Their relationship seemed kind of simplistic or shallow to me. I wasn’t sure I understood the connection enough to invest in hoping they eventually got together.

On the whole, I think the concept of the race is interesting. I wish the relationships between characters and some of the characters themselves had more complexity. Some of the issues the story raised were unexpected and interesting. I could see fans of Andrew Klavan reading and enjoying this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Lots of name-calling and insulting. No profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some obvious attraction between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. One of the team leaders verbally and physically abuses other runners. The person in charge of the teams also verbally abuses runners. One runner threatens and hits another. Runners try to sabotage and even kill each other.

Runners who don’t perform well are forced to undergo a medical procedure.

Drug Content
A couple of runners are drugged against their will.

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Review: Cattywampus by Ash Van Otterloo

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , , , , ,

Cattywampus
Ash Van Otterloo
Scholastic
Published August 4, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Cattywampus

The magical story of a hex that goes haywire, and the power of friendship to set things right!

In the town of Howler’s Hollow, conjuring magic is strictly off-limits. Only nothing makes Delpha McGill’s skin crawl more than rules. So when she finds her family’s secret book of hexes, she’s itching to use it to banish her mama’s money troubles. She just has to keep it quiet as the grave — not exactly Delpha’s specialty.

Trouble is, Katybird Hearn is hankering to get her hands on the spell book, too. The daughter of a rival witching family, Katy has reasons of her own for wanting to learn forbidden magic, and she’s not going to let an age-old feud or Delpha’s contrary ways stop her. But their quarrel accidentally unleashes a hex so heinous it resurrects a cemetery full of angry Hearn and McGill ancestors bent on total destruction. If Delpha and Katy want to reverse the spell in time to save everyone in the Hollow from rampaging zombies, they’ll need to mend fences and work together.

My Review

I started reading this book because Natalie at Literary Rambles mentioned it as one of her favorites from 2020, so it’s been on my reading list since then! When Barnes & Noble had their 25% off pre-order sale, I picked up a paperback copy of CATTYWAMPUS, and I’ve finally been able to read it.

It took me a couple tries to get into the story. I can’t figure out why. I really enjoyed what I was reading– the southern expressions and deep North Carolina vibe are things that generally excite me about a story. I loved both Katybird and Delpha. I think Katy became my favorite by the end of the book, though. Her struggle to accept her magic and overcome her fears was super moving.

Tyler was also a favorite for me. He’s this sweet, sort of nerdy boy with two moms who kind of winds up right in the middle of Delpha and Katy’s mess and winds up helping them in some unexpected ways. I loved that and the stuff about his uncle and the way that Delpha connected with him.

Once I got to the part with the zombies, I was pretty hooked on this book. I loved all the chaos in the midst of the small town, spring festival setting. There are great characters and so many quirky, fun moments in this book. It’s also got tons of heart as both main characters have to face some fears and hurts and learn to form new relationships with people.

I think readers who enjoy southern fiction plus magic would definitely love this one. If you liked A SNICKER OF MAGIC by Natalie Lloyd, try CATTYWAMPUS.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Katybird has angroden insensitivity syndrome, meaning she has one X and one Y chromosome, but her body is resistant to male hormones, so she has physical traits of a female and identifies as female.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Characters have the ability to do magic. There are also werewolf-type characters called Snarly Yows and some zombies bent on destroying anyone in the families they’re feuding with.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some brief descriptions of decaying bodies attacking people and turning them to stone.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.